Mannequin head

ABSTRACT

A mannequin head useful for displaying wigs and the like, is disclosed. The subject mannequin head is constructed to include a frontal member and a foundation member, the former presenting a full replica of a human face, neck and upper chest portion of a human torso. The foundation member is sculptured to form a partial human head, a neck and an upper chest portion. When mated, the frontal and foundation members form a complete mannequin head that is realistically and naturally shaped and which presents a cosmetically attractive appearance. Wigs are displayed by being mounted atop the mannequin head. Other wearing apparal may also be displayed by being draped or placed on the mannequin head.

United States P 0h et a1.

cut 1 1 MANNEQUIN HEAD [76] Inventors: Donald Sungjlk Oh, 7208 Exeter St.;

.lung Kun Park, 7229 /2 Exeter St.,

both of Paramount, Calif. 90723 [5 6] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,197,093 7/1965 Doran 223/66 3,468,499 9/1969 Rodgers 1 223/66 3,503,581 3/1970 Rouleau 223/66 X Oct. 22, 1974 Primary Examiner-Geo. V. Larkin Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Eric T. S. Chung [5 7] ABSTRACT A mannequin head useful for displaying wigs and the like, is disclosed. The subject mannequin head is con structed to include a frontal member and a foundation member, the former presenting a full replica of a human face, neck and upper chest portion of a human torso. The foundation member is sculptured to form a partial human head, a neck and an upper chest portion. When mated, the frontal and foundation mem bers form a complete mannequin. head that is realistically and naturally shaped and which presents a cosmetically attractive appearance. Wigs are displayed by being mounted atop the mannequin head. Other wearing apparal may also be displayed by being draped or placed on the mannequin head.

10 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures MANNEQUIN new BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This invention generally relates to a display device. More specifically, the present invention concerns a mannequin head which may be used to display wigs, wearing apparel, and the like.

2. Description of the Prior Art Mannequin heads that are suitable for displaying wigs have in the past been manufactured in several different configurations. Such mannequins may also be used to display head apparel, neck apparel, facial make-up and other body ornaments that are designed to be worn by a person on his head, neck or upper chest portion of the body. Typically, such mannequin heads have been manufactured by being molded out of solid materials, such as plaster, and paper mache, or by being chiseled out of wood. Any of the several synthetic materials that are now available have also been employed in conjunc' tion with conventional manufacturing techniques.

The manufacturing of mannequin heads with plaster, wood, or the like, often involves a considerable expense due to the extensive use of costly materials, laborious techniques of manufacture, and/or complex machinery. Mannequin heads so manufactured oftentimes also results in the item being heavy and thereby expensive to transport and handle.

The development of modern materials, such a polyurethane, thin sheet plastics and other synthetic materials, now enables the manufacture of mannequin heads that are light in weight and capable of being quickly and cheaply manufactured. Of equal importance is the ultimate ability to produce a mannequin head that is an attractive and realistic model of the involved portions of the human body.

A display head that is exemplary of the specific type of mannequin head here involved is disclosed by US. Pat. No. 3,197,093 to Doran. That display head, however, is limited to a head and neck portion of a human body, a planar base member being used for support of the mannequin head. Further, attachment of the frontal and foundation members that are used by Doran relies on the use of flaps that extend from the bottommost portion of the frontal member and which are wrapped around a corresponding portion of the foundation member that forms a neck for the mannequin head.

The subject invention eliminates the use of a planar base and instead includes a portion of the upper chest of the human body which not only serves as an attractive and functional means for supporting and maintaining the subject mannequin head in an upright position but also adapts the mannequin head to be used to display certain wearing apparel. The subject invention also eliminates the need for any flaps, or the like, by employing frontal and foundation members which are formed to be mutually fitted together and thereby simplifies the process of manufacture and assembly.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Briefly described the present invention involves a mannequin head that may be economically manufactured and transported and which provides a means for attractively displaying or modeling wigs and/or other wearing apparel that may be used to adorn a person's head, neck or upper chest portion of the body.

More particularly, the subject invention includes a frontal member and a foundation member which are designed to be readily fitted together. Such fit between said members is snug such that a minimum of adhesive is required to secure the members. Lateral enlargement of the base of the mannequin to form an upper chest portion also serves to provide support and to maintain the mannequin head in a upright position.

The objects and many attendant advantages of the invention will be more readily appreciated as the same become better understood by reference to the following detailed description which is to be considered in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein like reference symbols designate like parts throughout the figures thereof.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the subject mannequin head that is fully assembled and shown in an upright position as it would appear with a wig placed thereon for display;

FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the two primary components of the subject mannequin head and a wig in accordance with the subject invention;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of an assembled mannequin head in accordance with the subject invention;

FIG. 4 is a partial cross-sectional view of the uppermost portion of the mannequin head where the frontal member and the foundation member are joined.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to FIG. I of the drawings, an assembled mannequin head having a wig placed thereon is shown. Clearly, the subject mannequin head may be also used to present an attractive and realistic display for wearing apparel that is designed to be worn on or around the head, or neck, i.e., hats, scarves, etc.

As shown by FIGS. 2 and 3, the subject mannequin head essentially comprises a frontal member 2 and a foundation member 4. The frontal member 2 is formed by molding a thin sheet of plastic to have the configuration of a human face 6, i.e., the from half of a human head, and the front half of a neck 8 and upper torso portion 10. The foundation member 4 may be formed by casting polyurethane, or the like, to form a back portion of a human skull 12, a chin portion 14, a neck 16, and an upper chest portion 18 of the human body. Any of the conventional techniques or processes of manufacture that are well known in the art may be used to form the frontal member 2 and the foundation member 4 as above indicated.

The frontal portions of the foundation member including the chin portion 14! and the frontal portions of the neck 16 and upper chest 18 are precisely shaped to snugly fit within the respectively corresponding portions of the frontal member 2 such as the chin 20, neck 8, and the chest of the upper torso portion 10 thereof, respectively. Similarly, the portions forming the top and sides of a head on both the frontal member 2 and the foundation member 4 are sized to be snugly mated.

As illustrated by the drawings, the skull portion 12 of the foundation member 4 may be hollowed out to have a cavity 22. The walls forming such cavity preferably are in the neighborhood of one-half to three-fourth of an inch thick so as to provide strength and durability. Such cavity reduces the amount of material necessary to form the foundation member and decreases the weight of the overall mannequin. Also important is the decrease in weight of the upper portion of the mannequin head so as to have the weight thereof mainly concentrated in the lower portions formed by the neck and upper chest. Such distribution of weight facilitates maintaining the head in an upright position.

Having the internal configuration of the frontal member 2 closely match theexternal configuration of corresponding portions of the foundation member 4 has been found to assist in maintaining the frontal member 2 and foundation member 4 together when assembled. Accordingly a minimum of adhesive is required and may be generally limited to being applied about the inner periphery 24 of the frontal member 2 to secure the frontal member 2 to the foundation member 4.

To this end the frontal member is shaped to have a bottom portion 25 that extends beneath the bottom of the front chest portion 18 of the foundation member 4. The base of the mannequin head may also be provided with a central aperture 26 which would serve to receive a pin, or the like, that oftentimes is provided in carrying cases for mannequin heads to assist in supporting the mannequin head on the base of the carrying case or of some other receiving surface.

As shown in FIG. 4, the uppermost portion of the foundation member 4 which receives the corresponding upper portion of the frontal member 2 may be formed to have a slightly raised portion 28 to provide a snug fit with the corresponding portion of the frontal member 2. Such raised portion 28 as illustrated by FIG. 2, is limited to the upper portions of the skull 12 of the mannequin head and is confined to an area that would normally be covered by a wig 30 when placed thereon.

As shown by FIGS. 2 and 4, the wig 30 may be readily fastened to the subject mannequin head by a head pin 32 which may be inserted through the wig 30 into the generally soft polyurethane used to form the foundation member.

The facial features of the mannequin head may be readily cosmetically enhanced by having eyebrows, eye color and make-up, etc. painted thereon to present an attractive, realistic, and natural mannequin head for displaying wigs and/or other wearing apparel. Similarly, skin tones and other cosmetic appearances may be controlled by the use of appropriately colored paints, stains, or the like, which may be applied to an unassembled or assembled mannequin head.

From the foregoing discription it is now clear that the subject invention provides a mannequin head that provides an attractive display means that can be cheaply manufactured, assembled and transported.

While a preferred embodiment of the present invention has been described hereinabove, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description and shown in the accompanying drawings be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense and that all modifications, constructions and arrangements which fall within the scope and spirit of the invention may be made.

What is claimed is:

l. A mannequin human head suitable for displaying wigs and other wearing apparel designed to be worn on or around a persons neck or head, said mannequin head comprising:

a foundation member having the shape of the rear half of a skull, a chin, a neck and an upper torso portion adjoining the base of said neck, said rear half of said skull being formed with walls defining an interior cavity, said chin, neck and upper torso being substantially solid to have the weight of said foundation member concentrated at the base thereof provided by said upper torso portion; and

a frontal member having the shape of a face and further including a frontal neck portion and a frontal upper torso portion, said frontal member covering the front half of said foundation member when mounted thereon, said frontal member including a base portion extending beneath the front of the bottommost surface of said foundation member, the interior surface of said chin, frontal neck and upper torso portions of said frontal member conforming to the configuration of the surface of said foundation member that is covered thereby when said frontal member is mounted on said foundation member.

2. The mannequin human head defined by claim 1, said foundation member further including a raised strip situated along the uppermost surface of said skull, said raised strip being matched with and covered by the corresponding uppermost portion of said frontal member when said frontal member and said foundation member are assembled.

3. The mannequin human head defined by claim 2, said skull portion of said foundation member being formed by a wall defining an interior cavity, said cavity being covered by the face portion of said frontal mem-' ber, the weight of said mannequin head thereby being concentrated in the lower portions thereof.

4. The mannequin human head defined by claim 3, said foundation member being formed with a light weight material.

5. The mannequin human head defined by claim 4, said frontal member including a thin sheet of plastic material adapted to be molded.

6. The mannequin human head defined by claim 5,

said foundation member further including a central bore partially extending upward through the bottom surface thereof, said central bore serving to receive an upwardly extending protuberance on a supporting surface.

7. The mannequin human head defined by claim 1, said skull portion of said foundation member being formed by a wall defining an interior cavity, said cavity being covered by the face portion of said frontal member, the weight of said mannequin head thereby being concentrated in the lower portions thereof.

8. The mannequin human head defined by claim 1, said foundation member being formed with a light weight material.

9. The mannequin human head defined by claim 1, said frontal member including a thin sheet of plastic material adapted to be molded.

10. The mannequin human head defined by claim 1, said foundation member further including a central bore partially extending upward through the bottom surface thereof, said central bore serving to receive an upwardly extending protuberance on a supporting surface. 

1. A mannequin human head suitable for displaying wigs and other wearing apparel designed to be worn on or around a person''s neck or head, said mannequin head comprising: a foundation member having the shape of the rear half of a skull, a chin, a neck and an upper torso portion adjoining the base of said neck, said rear half of said skull being formed with walls defining an interior cavity, said chin, neck and upper torso being substantially solid to have the weight of said foundation member concentrated at the base thereof provided by said upper torso portion; and a frontal member having the shape of a face and further including a frontal neck portion and a frontal upper torso portion, said frontal member covering the front half of said foundation member when mounted thereon, said frontal member including a base portion extending beneath the front of the bottommost surface of said foundation member, the interior surface of said chin, frontal neck and upper torso portions of said frontal member conforming to the configuration of the surface of said foundation member that is covered thereby when said frontal member is mounted on said foundation member.
 2. The mannequin humAn head defined by claim 1, said foundation member further including a raised strip situated along the uppermost surface of said skull, said raised strip being matched with and covered by the corresponding uppermost portion of said frontal member when said frontal member and said foundation member are assembled.
 3. The mannequin human head defined by claim 2, said skull portion of said foundation member being formed by a wall defining an interior cavity, said cavity being covered by the face portion of said frontal member, the weight of said mannequin head thereby being concentrated in the lower portions thereof.
 4. The mannequin human head defined by claim 3, said foundation member being formed with a light weight material.
 5. The mannequin human head defined by claim 4, said frontal member including a thin sheet of plastic material adapted to be molded.
 6. The mannequin human head defined by claim 5, said foundation member further including a central bore partially extending upward through the bottom surface thereof, said central bore serving to receive an upwardly extending protuberance on a supporting surface.
 7. The mannequin human head defined by claim 1, said skull portion of said foundation member being formed by a wall defining an interior cavity, said cavity being covered by the face portion of said frontal member, the weight of said mannequin head thereby being concentrated in the lower portions thereof.
 8. The mannequin human head defined by claim 1, said foundation member being formed with a light weight material.
 9. The mannequin human head defined by claim 1, said frontal member including a thin sheet of plastic material adapted to be molded.
 10. The mannequin human head defined by claim 1, said foundation member further including a central bore partially extending upward through the bottom surface thereof, said central bore serving to receive an upwardly extending protuberance on a supporting surface. 